So true. I go without power so often because I hate noise. I am looking in to a small quiet generator just for running my well pump and some shop lights but keep thinking more batteries and some solar would be much quieter. My inverter will start my well pump if my batteries are up.
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Well I did go get that Firman P01202 1200 watt generator early today for the $199. USD.
Overall very impressed with the features and build/assembly quality.
Has a DC outlet 12 vdc battery charging plug w/supplied alligator clip cord. And a dupex AC plug versus the only single AC plug on the Harbor Frieght Stormcat.
This Firman four-stoke looks like a downsized version of a Yamaha 2600. Right down to the big, easy pour-in fuel filler cap, fuel level gauge and even the shape of the frame brackets. Has both a filler screen cup and an in-shut-off valve cleanable filter screen. The foam aircleaner filter pad is MUCH bigger and more secure than the Stormcatâs almost not there stupi-pad filter square.
Inspected and it DOES have a cast iron cylinder bore. The Chinese spark plug and wire look to be much higher quality than supplied on the Stormcat. The Honda/Yamaha quality level of owner manual gives the NGK and Bosch replacement spark plug numbers. Owners manual even says best to use 5W-30 synthetic oil for all climates.
Interesting, Firman is having thier name cast into all of the castings, including the carburetor, and thier name raised stamped into the sheet metals like the valve cover.
Had the valve cover off. Impressed. A true canted valve design. Cast rocker arms with harden, polished steel end pads. Slotted screw and nut adjusters on the push-rod cup ends.
I only yet have ~5 hour operating on this generator so far.
A bit noisier than the Stomcat. More a sound quality thing that an absolute dBa thing.
Certainly noisier that the Yamaha 2800 or the Honda 2000 slower speed inverter units.
The Stormcat is a one hand, 38 pound portable. This Firman 1200 is a two hands 63 pounds packable.
The Stormcat cat is a 700 watt/ 6 amp unit. This Firman 1200 watt is a 10 amp unit.
Neither can operate both of my old chest freezers at the same time without their overload thermal breaker overheat popping.
The Honda 2000 (1600 watts) can run both if plugged in individually with staggered starting. The Yamaha 2800 runs both handily in Economy mode.
Ha! Iâll be giving the 38 pound two-stroke Srormcat to my older adult niece with the bad shoulder and the dumb husband. Heâd never check, let alone change the oil on a four-stroke. Turns his lawn mowers into one-year wear-outs throw-a-ways⌠Blames the engine manufacturers.
They pellet stove heat. Itâll power that and some lights.
The 63 pound Firman 1200 four-stroke will go to the younger stronger âsmartâ adult niece. She has a degree in child education and works daily responsible for 30+ little ones. She ever loses power and she can keep the refrigerator, refrigerating. Foods/beverages heated. And some basic lighting going.
Ha! She will be trainable to do tip-out oil removals. And measured dump-in refills.
Thatâs of course if this Firman can proof itself out to ~150 hours under my work-proof use.
Ha! âOnlyâ up to 383 hours on the Yamaha 2800 with it so much set aside resting with my dailly gasoline GGE going to other generators. Still mechanically quiet. Good compression and power. One pull starting. With no smoking cold or hot.
Regards
Steve Unruh
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Steve I want to thank you for working all these generators and reporting your findings to us. I find it to be very valuable information. I know a new generator is in my future buy for now I am getting by with the gasoline to noise converter and finding ways to use it less. When I fire it up it is loaded heavy and working hard, burning what seems to be a gallon per hour. Never measured tank capacity or run time precisely but in that neighborhood . Went from $50 in fuel one week to $10 the next by changing my ways. If I can average $20-$25 a week then That is what it cost to be on grid. I have given up a lot of convenience but am learning more efficient ways of getting things done. Once I get my usage patterns established I will start burning the gasifires instead of gasoline. next step a hot water storage tank to save otherwise wasted heats.
- List item
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Yep.Yep. You have it correct JimLaP, more to be gained by modifying your operation cycle than all of the âbetter engineâ, âbetter fuelâ napkin doodleâings.
The hot days weâve had these last five I am much better off with a 1 1/2 hours generator running powering. Then two hours off. Then repeat; repeat; to make my $2.35 GGE stretch out for a full 12 hours of powering coverage.
An 80% capacity loaded engine makes the most fuel efficient use of the fuel.
Anyone reading it is not my intention to ever use/listen to 3600 rpm gnerators in the back ground ever again. The 3600 rpm Harbor Frieght StormCat, and now the Firman 1200 are to be affordable gifts to woman relatives.
MY own used units run at 1800, 2200, 2650, and 2850 rpm.
The Kohler/Miller 12 kW only has to 3600 rpm run for welding. Idles back to 1800 rpm and could make a quieter saner ~2.5 kW/el of DC then. (Ever loaded voltaged checked your DC setting welder voltage??)
And I am not agaist PV solar at all.
I/we just do not here in the PNW rain forest ever have more than 100 solar productive days annually. The only ones doing heavy PV solar locally that I know are the GovâMint hog-troughâing rebate folks. GovâMint mandates thier installed PV solar to be Grid-tied dependent to get their hog-slop (out tax money) rebate/grants. And you have to have a much higher annual income to avail to these income tax rebates. These rebates not really a poorfolks solution at all.
So currently my 21st Centrury silicon-tech making electricity is in DC alternators power rectifier bridges, and my very silicon dependent inverter units.
IF/When Thermal Electric Generator cells shake out for time proven durability, availability, at a reasonable price I do woodstove 250+ days a year with 200 day of that having 30âs/40âs F rain water flowing just feet away flowing off the roof. TEGâs need a good delta-T to work efficientlyâŚ
Still now ~$1,000. for the cells to make up a 100 watt generating cell bank with TEGâs.
PV solar as it was back in the 1980âs.
Regards
Steve Unruh
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Maybe not a cycle but Iâm taking my nice 80 gallon 5 HP electric air compressor to the fall sale. Didnât have time this spring. Then Iâll buy or build a gas/gasoline portable air compressor. Canât power the electric one and hard to give up having air.
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Back home after being in the south for two weeks. Temps were in the 90âs down there. Up here has been in the mid 60âs and lows in the 40âs. This means the wood stove gets fired up to cut the chill off in the AM.
Partly cloudy skies these last two days mean I donât need to run the generator twice a day to fill the batteries. I run a half a gallon of gas in the suitcase generator as a precautionary measure because we are running more tools now that itâs warmer. I have to say, I really appreciate not having to hear it run all day. As soon as I get some garden beds in, I will spend a little time each day getting my gasifier up and running. When I am able to charge my batteries on wood will make all my efforts so far worth while.
I know my set up is only so-so for stationary applications and will require some adjustments.
This thread you started and living off grid has made me well aware of my energy wants and needs. I donât complain about my utility bills anymore, i adjust my energy wants. The wife now knows the TV canât just be left on, the wood stove replaces the microwave, etc. Gasoline and diesel will turn into a convenience as long as we can afford it. That is my goal.
Thank you Steve for this awareness.
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Yes JeffD so far powering up my electric direct drive15 amps oil-less power tool air compressor has been a fail on anything but the big herking 12kW Miller/Kohler. A wheeled portable and this is what Iâve used for family on-location auto repairs.
In theory I could start up the Yamaha 2800 inverter unit first; then start up the wifeâs Honda 2000 inverter unit and let it sync with the already AC outputting Yamaha - but what a pita to have to have both fuel-sucking running.
The good news is I/We still have an ancient yard sale all steel/cast iron ~2 gallon single piston air compressor. Has 1/4 hp (4.2 amps) ancient electric motor that ALL of these little generators will power up to make 75 psi.
Not much volume though. Not enough for my air ratchets and guns. Good for tires airing and light blowing only.
AND . . . the GFIC outlet on the Yamaha will often pop not liking this old system.
S.U.
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Steve A little off target but why not pipe a little compressor into the big tank just through a soft line quick connect. Let her run at her 1/4 hp for 15min at a time to keep the tank topped up. It would allow you a few minutes of tool time anyways. Just curious if there is a red flag in that scenario. Only fire up the big beast compressor motor for continuous work.
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When I was a lad I wanted a good size air compressor, but parents garage had no electric, so I dropped change on a gas engine compressor. Nice rig. 5 hp cast iron twin cyl compressor put out something like 11.8 cfm.
Worked great and put out all the air i needed BUT, I sure got sick of cranking that thing up every time i wanted a little air. Then if using some air tool intermittently I would have to listen to it bellow for a long time and buy the fuel for it to do so. most of the time just idling.
Now I have a couple of small 1 hp electric units. Wont really keep up with most air tools, but great for tire pumping and blowing stuff off.
It occurs to me now it is foolish to run a huge gas or electric hogging air compressor to run a relatively low powered tool. I now use almost exclusively electric hand tools. I guess a case of modifying ones âneedsâ to fit consumption constraints.
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Andy and SteveU, all good points about air. For me an electric compressor was a mistake. So many tractor or big truck tires out yonder that needed air and a tractor tire take a lot of air. These older water wells need the mud pumped out from time to time and not being tied to electric would be nice. Now only if I didnât lend my air lift out never to be returned⌠Sometimes I need air tools for heavy duty work. Sometime still use drill for cutting holes in a tank and thats a few hours drilling and electric wouldnât hold up but no problem for air. Or taking off real truck tires. Iâm too old not to use the air wrench for an old rusty field truck. So easy to lend to dad to use. For car and pickup tires I love my $30 12Vdc compressor. It real depends on the person.
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Well DavidB for me it is quite a bit as Jeff Davis just described.
I worked years as an autoshop flatrate mechanic. Past 40âs yo and your hands have taken a beating day-in, day-out. So even for normal work I evolved to have rolling working cart hung a 1/4", short LD 3/8", HD 1/2" air ratchets. These all had their own attached 4 foot âwipâ hoses with an expensive all-position swivel couple added. These were choose for speed of operation and durability. CP, Snap-on. My hands would do the break loose, and final tighten partial turn. The ratchets the spin off and on.
AND had within hands reached racked also, a small fast 3/8", and the latest, greatest FAST Powerful 1/2 air impact guns. CP, Mac.
Speed and saving knuckles and beating flat rate times was the game to earn by. And yes I awayâs did put back in all of the âbitchâ bolts and nuts. Never short cut the assembly quality. I was rated a 120% producer with the highest FRTFT rating. The 150% producers did too much cheating.
These production tools only really start performing at 125 psi with enough air volume to maintain that. Happier at 150-175 psi.
The old 1/4 horse compressor actually puck-i-ta-puckâs along like an old boat motor. It surprises me with 75 psi.
Cutting, grinding I have used a combo of air and electric. Depends. The air stuff will freeze your hands in cold weather. Cools them nicely in the summer-hot. Electric hands warms in the cold. Overheats and life shortens the motors hard worked in the hot.
Just my experiences
Steve Unruh
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Funny how many leaky flat all the time tires I have repaired after going off grid. Water leaks too. I have a small direct drive 20 gallon 5hp noise maker that will start up on my smallest 4000 w. Wont start the 6 horse sixty gallon in the shop. I fill that when I have to and when I have to fire the 10 kw to weld. It donât leak so have some air there most of the time. I also have a Honda gas powered one in the shed I never tried yet. Came in an old work van I flipped. I do most things but multiple tires by hand. Have always used electric sanders and a hvlp turbine for spraying paint.
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Hi All
Hit 402.8 running hours on the Yamaha EF2800i inverter generator today.
All is well. First pull starting. Good power. Mechanically quiet. No cold or warm smoking.
Regards
Steve Unruh
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Update.
Havenât but put only maybe 1/2 hour on any of the inverter-generator units since the 11th of last month. And that charging up the new 31P battery to do some old pick-up trucks moving a round.
A five acre neighbor behind us called in the WeedNatziâs on their two adjacent 5 acre neighbors for uncontrolled Tansy weeds growing.
âWeedPatrolâ came out snopping and found my pet MeadowKnap weed patches Iâve been using for three different species of introduced insects control. CountyWeed want 's complete eradication. For the seedhead weevils to population expand they have to have had visible flowering seed heads for their seeds-food. For the stem gaul bugs to populations expand, there has to be green growing stems. For the root weevils to over-winter survive there has to have been plant root crowns.
CountyWeed insists ONLY Big-AG-Chemicals can do âcontrolâ⌠Bad-science. They threw out the concept of Integrated Pest Management Control back in ~2010. Using grazing animals/insects; mechanical/mowing means First, before the chemicals, to minimize synthetic chemical usages.
So . . . I am using up to four gallons four stroke/two stroke gasoline a day mowing and forest brush hogging a four foot strip around our 21 acres. Total ground into the soil Stihl weed-eating my combined ~one acre weeds patches.
And turning these into dead brown strips with CrossBow, Counterstone, and Milestone sprays.
Yuk.
Needs, must. When the Devil drives the sleigh.
Sacrifice the 2 acres to save the rest.
NO Neighbor will ever be able to say ever again any âweedâ seed migrated from my place onto theirs!
What has surprised me is the smiles on the faces of some neighbors and even some family, after 20 years resistant seeing me out backpack spraying now.
My name is German. These chemical no-sweat-easy Naziâs think they have converted me to their true way.
Shhh. (I hide some purple blossom meadow knapweed Jewflowers up in the attic. Within the timbered patch. I hide some purple flowering thistle Gypsyflowers in the basement. Out centered in the DougFir replant patch.)
I use 1 ounce of wildflower honey every day for memory enchantments. Wildflower honey is THE BEST for pollen allergy therapy in children
At the end of our world when the question comes up, âWho killed the World?â It will have been DOW Chemical, Monsanto and Bayer Ag Chemicals and a few other whitecoats, unleashing these tools for over abuse use by the fearful Urbanâs. The more they can make the Urbanâs hate yard daisyâs, moss and such; the more they can sell and profit.
Broad spectrum kill off all of the flowering plants, kills the bees and other insects. They starve.
Then we starve.
'Cept for the few Eliteâs able to afford energy expensive artificial controlled environment made foods.
Old story. As old as Egypt. The âClassâ who rules - always eats - and eats well.
So spit in the water aâfore you hand it up to the Master rode up on their high horses with their commands/demands.
And that at the best is what woodgasing is about: spitting into the energy dictators cups.
S.U.
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I feel for you brother
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Well said Steve well said.
Bob
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Sad story, but you are not alone. Things are turning over the pond in the last few years, but before they trew so much poison everywhere lm surprised anything still grows now. Thankfuly we have some regulations now for bee protection (night spraying), but still loose about 1/4 bee familys every year. Bees allso dont have enough pasture, becouse now everyone starts cuting gras for hey a month earlyer thain 30 years ago. Flowers dont eaven bloom at that time. Buckwheat is rare. People are abandoning beekeaping.
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I am at a point where I have to rent my land out. A couple of years back the farmer was planting corn and then spraying with âRound-upâ instead of cultivating. Then instead of picking the corn and leaving a residue on the land he started âchoppingâ the corn which left no grass in-between the rows and the stubs of the stalks were just sparse lithe roots. I got very bad erosion.that spring. So I made my rent continent on what he planted and how he harvested. Hay was one price, corn cut for shelled corn was another and chopped corn and beans were double the hay. He went for the hay until this year. He took the first cutting of hay off and came in with a big heavy corn planter and drilled corn directly into the hay field. Couple days later he came in and sprayed Round up. He will pay for that and if I get any erosion next spring, he will be looking for somewhere else to get feed for his 1000 head of cattle. The big farmers have boughten up all the little farms around here and I am doing him a favor by renting to him. For a âwant a beâ farmer, I am sick of the new ways they farm. TomC
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I would have made no round up part of my conditions⌠we live we learn
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With the big equipment they have, they can cultivate 16 rows of corn at a pass. We use to do two. TomC
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